Air seed planters use flowing air to carry seeds to seed boots which direct the air and seeds into furrows in the soil. The planters are equipped with earthworking tools used to form the furrows. The seed boots mounted on the tools are connected to air seeding dispensers with tubes that transport air and seeds to the seed boots. Proper placement of seeds in the furrows is important to predicate uniform seed germination and crop emergence. The seeds should be deposited in the furrows at a substantially uniform depth and covered with an even layer of soil. Seed bounce and soil flow into the furrows must be substantially reduced to achieve uniform seed depth. Conventional furrow openers used to place seeds in the soil do not effectively control seed bounce. The seeds are directed by flowing air and the seed boot in the direction of travel of the implement which causes the seeds to bounce in the furrow. The soil must be firmed about the seeds to reduce loose soil and air pockets so as to maintain suitable moisture content of the soil which promotes plant growth.
A furrow opener for placing fertilizer and seeds at different depths in the soil is disclosed K. M. Anderson in U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,736. This furrow opener has a soil press plate that covers a band of fertilizer and forms a firm seed bed above the fertilizer. A seed dispenser divides the seed carried by air and deposits the seed in separate parallel rows. The seed dispenser does not compensate for seed bounce. A packer wheel located behind the furrow opener compresses the soil in firm contact with the seeds and fertilizer. J. D. Long and R. W. Hook in U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,255 have designed a strap for a seed boot to reduce seed bounce. The strap is an ultra-high molecular polyethylene sheet having a flat transverse section with a continuous width of about the width of the furrow. During use the strap bends rearwardly into an arcuate shape and contacts seeds which are pressed into the soil in the bottom of the furrow. Soil firming and closing wheels behind the strap crush the soil sides of the furrow to place a loose layer of soil over the seeds. E. G. Keeton in U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,318 discloses a resilient seed firming attachment fastened to a seed boot to reduce seed bounce and direct seeds to the bottom of a furrow. This attachment has a hockey stick blade shape with a flexible portion to ensure that sufficient force is applied to the seed to firm the seed into the soil at a desired planting depth. P. E. Schaffert in U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,915 discloses several elongated flexible members that can be attached to furrow openers to assist in placing seeds in furrows and directs bouncing seeds into the bottom of the furrows. The members have lower segments that extend into the furrows. The lower segments have opposite side edges that converge to trailing ends which are spaced above the bottoms of the furrows. The members do not change the profiles of the furrows as they do not engage the soil.